Tuesday, February 4, 2014

First Tantrum

Last weekend we headed out to run errands. You know, grocery shopping and house cleaning supplies as well as a few things for Super Bowl dinner at MILs. We only had AJ with us and it was getting closer to his nap time which I knew we weren't going to be home for. As we walk in to the store we grabbed a few snacks for the week which included granola bars and breakfast bars, AJs favorite. He noticed them from the shelve and wanted one right away. No harm right, he was soon going to be due for lunch anyways. Like five minutes later he was done and asked for more. Yes he loves them that much. I think that if we would give him the box he would eat all the bars in one sitting. I tried distracting him and it worked. Later on as I moved things around in the cart he noticed them and wanted another one. He was getting so loud that we decided to give him one.

Fast forward to checking out.

As we waited in line and put the items on the counter he noticed them again and wanted more. That would have been 3 in less than an hour. I put my foot down and did not fall for it. Instead I grabbed a water and gave him some. Still he was going out of control. We were those parent a checkout with the child who screamed at the top of his lungs because he didn't get his way. On the line next to ours there was another toddler with an Elmo. Well my son wanted that Elmo. Of course that he couldn't have it and as I try to stay calm and try to get a two years old to understand that that was not his toy things just got worse. He's arching his back and kicking his feet and so on. Then he points to something and says "toodles. I want toodles". I try to figure out what he was pointing at and couldn't figure it out. Again as he arched his back he points upward and I follow his finger. Here there's a Mickey Mouse balloon stuck on the very high ceiling and my son happened to noticed it and wanted it.

I honestly think we handled the situation well by not giving in to his demands but boy oh boy I was sweating and felt so hot like it was mid summer. I don't remember experiencing this with Steven in his toddler-hood years. I don't think I'm ready for this. Luckily we we're just about to leave the store and it was two of us. Imagine it had started earlier and it was just me? I need to start prepping for such things.

Within minutes after being in the car AJ fell asleep. What did I learn from this event? Never go out to run errands before AJ takes a nap. This was also a reality check that we have a toddler. And with this age tantrums will come. This was his first I'm sure there's plenty more to come.